Michael Collins demands action on eight-month driving test backlog
Michael Collins criticised long driving test waiting lists and called for more testers and extended hours to clear the backlog. He described constituents facing months-long delays for invitations, warned against proposed refresher theory tests at licence renewal, and urged driving education in schools and urgent road repairs.
He noted a newspaper headline from August 2024 that cited a 22-week wait and said that six months later 22 weeks is likely the shortest current wait. During the 33rd Dáil he spoke 11 times on the issue and said the 34th Dáil has seen no progress. He gave examples: a woman from West Cork who applied on August 22, 2024 and was told she might be invited in April 2025; a man from West Cork who applied in December and was told April 2025; and a man who applied on September 6, 2024 and had not received a promised February 2025 invitation as of February 25.
He argued the solution is clear - increasing the number of testers and extending centre hours to clear the backlog. He opposed proposals for compulsory refresher theory tests at licence renewal, saying such measures would add further strain to an already stretched system and showed a lack of touch with constituents.
He urged that practical driving education and theory preparation be added to the school curriculum, citing the Bantry Driving Academy as an example of quality instruction. He said young people should be educated in the basics of driving so they can pass theory tests and be ready for independent travel and work.
He described the personal consequences for constituents, including delays that strain family life and block access to college or work. He highlighted the high cost of insurance for those without a full licence and gave cases where delayed tests have serious implications for carers and families with ill relatives.
He also raised local road conditions, saying roads in his constituency are "worse than appalling" and that flooding and river overflow make travel hazardous. He criticised remote decision-making by road authorities and called for on-the-ground action rather than "pencil pushers," urging practical delivery for drivers who face difficult daily journeys.
Waiting-list evidence and constituent cases
He noted a newspaper headline from August 2024 that cited a 22-week wait and said that six months later 22 weeks is likely the shortest current wait. During the 33rd Dáil he spoke 11 times on the issue and said the 34th Dáil has seen no progress. He gave examples: a woman from West Cork who applied on August 22, 2024 and was told she might be invited in April 2025; a man from West Cork who applied in December and was told April 2025; and a man who applied on September 6, 2024 and had not received a promised February 2025 invitation as of February 25.
Demand for more testers and practical measures
He argued the solution is clear - increasing the number of testers and extending centre hours to clear the backlog. He opposed proposals for compulsory refresher theory tests at licence renewal, saying such measures would add further strain to an already stretched system and showed a lack of touch with constituents.
Calls for driving education in schools
He urged that practical driving education and theory preparation be added to the school curriculum, citing the Bantry Driving Academy as an example of quality instruction. He said young people should be educated in the basics of driving so they can pass theory tests and be ready for independent travel and work.
Impact on families and insurance
He described the personal consequences for constituents, including delays that strain family life and block access to college or work. He highlighted the high cost of insurance for those without a full licence and gave cases where delayed tests have serious implications for carers and families with ill relatives.
Road conditions and local delivery
He also raised local road conditions, saying roads in his constituency are "worse than appalling" and that flooding and river overflow make travel hazardous. He criticised remote decision-making by road authorities and called for on-the-ground action rather than "pencil pushers," urging practical delivery for drivers who face difficult daily journeys.
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Transcript
Minister, in August 2024, a headline from one of the newspapers stated that the longest waiting list for a driving test in Ireland was 22 weeks. However, six months later, 22 weeks is now likely the shortest waiting list. During the 33rd Dáil, I spoke 11 times about the lengthy waiting times for driving tests. Now, in the 34th Dáil, we are making no progress. The solution is clear. We need more testers in the centres working extending hours to clear the backlog. I have several constituents facing significant delays. A young woman from West Cork applied on August 22nd. Imagine, Minister, August 22nd, 2024, she has been told she might receive an invitation to her test in April 2025. An astonishing eight-month wait just for an invitation which may be further delayed. This is causing a mince strain on her family. This is unfair because I know the girl, and she is a hard-working, progressive young woman that wants to do college, wants to do a bit of work, and wants to get on with life. This government has failed her, and failed her miserably. The high cost of insurance for those without a full licence is also an issue. A young man also from West Cork is the sole care for his mother. He applied in December and has been told he might get an invitation in April 2025, which is likely to be delayed as well. Another young man applied on September 6th, 2024, and was supposed to receive an invitation in February 2025. It is now February 25th, and he has yet to receive it. His father is seriously ill with cancer, and he is the only driver in the family responsible for taking his father to hospital and doctor appointments. Adding further insult to injury, a Labour TD today has suggested that drivers should take a theory test every time they renew their licence. These refresher courses proposed to occur every 10 years would only add more pressure to an already strain system. It beggars belief that anyone would be so out of touch with their constituents to come up with that as a good idea. We need practical solutions, not additional burdens. The focus should be on increasing the number of testers and reducing waiting times to ensure that our constituents can obtain their driving licence in a timely manner. If we want to talk about anything in relation to educating people, educate our young people. Make sure it is in the curriculum going forward that they can be educated. We have a Bantry Driving Academy, probably no better in this country, and imagine the kids should be taken there. They are taken to France for skiing, and Spain, across Finland, across the world for skiing, and rightly so. They are taken for swimming lessons, but nobody cares about teaching them the very basics of how to drive a car, how to pass the theory test. It should be added to that curriculum inside our school, and they should not be able to leave school until they have that past, Minister. If that is never going to be done, we are going nowhere in here. We are going backwards instead of ahead. These young people deserve that right. We have little public transport, and we are fighting to keep what we have today. We might have won the battle with the bus from Goldeen here this evening, and I appreciate that, if that is the case. But the bottom line is here. We need to look at the condition of our roles, Minister. These are the real reasons for the accidents. I was in balance correctly on Sunday. The road flooded. The rivers on the roadside flooded. The TII will give orders from the top pencil pushers from Dublin telling the people on the national roads, cut down the speed. Basically pull up the car and go on cycle pace all the way to Westcar. Cut out the nonsense. Let them get off their butts and get the hell down and see the condition of the roads in my constituency are worse than appalling. They are worse than third world roads, and the rivers are bursting their banks out onto the road near the sight of a TII person on Sunday to see the condition of the roads on the main waterway into Westcark. And I am telling you this is what has to be done. We have to cut out the pencil pushers in this country, and we have to deliver for the people, the people that drive the roads in great difficulty every day of their life, because of the condition of the road. So, thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.